Associated PressRed Sox center fielder Mike Cameron makes a diving catch at Fenway Park in Boston, April 7, 2010.
John Lackey actually pitched decently today in the Red Sox' 4-3 loss to Baltimore, but he’s still not the dominating force that he once was.

It’s troubling because there’s really no reason behind it. His velocity remains the same as it has in the past. He’s getting similar movement on his pitches. The only thing that is really there, and we touched on this last week, is that he isn’t throwing his slider as often in the past.

He gave the Red Sox a chance to win the game and kept the ball in the park, but if you can’t accomplish that against an Orioles team that is hitting .243/.306/.363, then you’re probably not a great pitcher.

Nothing was easy for him, though. He didn’t have a 1-2-3 inning all game, worked deep into counts and needed a season-high 123-pitches to get through seven innings.

Lackey’s line of 7 IP, 7 hits, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, isn’t great, but at least it’s a quality start and something to build off of moving forward.

Mike Cameron returned to the lineup today, going 1-for-3 with two walks in his 17th game of the season, but he is not expected to be an everyday player, at least for now.

“He’s not going to play everyday. That’s not going to be in his best interests,” Terry Francona said during a pregame press conference.

Cameron has been nursing an injury in his left abdomen and said that surgery could possibly be down the road. Though that decision will not come until later in the season.

For now he is going to try and keep playing, which should be a big boost to the Red Sox defense. He made several great plays in the outfield, including a run saving, over-the-shoulder, catch to send the game into extra innings.

“There are some things I’m still trying to get over,” Cameron told WEEI. “It’s not conducive to a great healthy opportunity.”

Dustin Pedroia, who was marred in a 9-for-63 slump, is now on a six game hitting streak, in which he’s hitting .307 with four doubles.

There's no secret as to what caused the Red Sox to lose Sunday. They left the bases loaded in both the sixth and seventh innings, stranding 11 total runners, and were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.